Washing-machine mechanism.



A. W. ALTORFER.

WASHING MACHINE MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 15, 1915.

Patented Oct. 2, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

A. W. ALTORFER.

WASHING MACHINE MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 15. 1915.

Patented Oct. 2, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED sra s PAENT FICE,

'ALPHEUS W. ALTORFER, OF PEORIA, ILLINOIS, AS SIGNOR TO ALTORFER BROS. COM- PAN Y, OF EAST PEORIA, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

WASHING-MACHINE MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 2, 191 '7.

Application filed January 15, 1915. Serial No. 2,364.

To all whom itma'y concern:

Be it knownthat I, ALPHEUs W. AL'roR- FER, a citizen of the United States, a resident of Peoria, in the county of Peoria and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Washing-Machine Mechanism, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention has reference to improvements in Washing machines and particularly to the wringer mechanism, the mounting therefor and means for operating the same.

The object which I have in view is to mount the wringerso that it may be moved relatively to the washing machine, with which it is associated, locked in its adjusted positions and power operated in any of its positions, and reversed if desired.

That the invention may be more fully understood, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a detail, showing in elevation and partly in section, the mounting for the wringer, locking-means. and means for operating the wringer rolls in reverse directions;

Fig. 2 is a greatly reduced plan view of a washing machine support, partly broken away, also showing in plan and in section, the mounting for the wringer, and driving mechanism therefor;-

Fig. 3 is a greatly reduced side elevation of the wringer, pivotal mounting therefor and controlling means for the reverse gearing. and

Fig. 4 is a cross-section in plan, as the same would appear if taken on the line AA of Fig. 3.

Like characters of reference denote c0rresponding parts throughout the figure.

In washing machines of the type herein shown and described, the wringer is so mounted that it may be moved from a position opposite or adjacent the washing machine to a position opposite or adjacent one or more rinse tubs or other receptacles. lVhen the wringer is registering with the washing machine, clothes may be passed, directly from the washing machine into a rinse water tub. To wring the clothes from the rinse water tub into a second rinse water tub, bluing water or basket, the wringer is moved from its position adjacent the Wash- .ing machine, to a position Where it will register with the rinse water tub and a second rinse water tub, bluing water tub or basket,

whereby the clothes may be wrung directly from one tub into the other, or basket. The mechanism for operating the wringer being such that the wringer may be operated simultaneously with the washing machine or independently thereof and reversed, if desired. In this way after a batch of clothes has been washed in the washing machine and passed into the rinse water tub, while the attendant is wringing the clothes from the rinse water tub into a second rinse Water tub, bluing water tub or basket, the washing machine may be filled with a second batch of clothes and subjectedto the washing operation.

I have shown my invention applied to a washing machine including a stand on which the washing machine is mounted, it being necessary to provide a suitable support or supports for the rinse water tub or tubs and basket. or rest the same on the floor. I Wish it understood that the invention might be also applied to a stave-leg machine, or to a machine of the platform type, being that type employing a platform adapted to support the washing machine and one or more rinse tubs or other receptacles.

1 designates a platform supported by legs 2. These legs are formed by bending side, rails 3, to which the platform 1 is secured, and said legs are braced by crossbars 4. The platform 1 forms a rest for a washing machine 5, shown in outline in dotted lines only, Fig. 2, and the wringer, to be described, and its mounting, are preferably located at one corner of said platform, as will be explained.

Beneath the platform 1 is arranged the mechanism for receiving and transmitting motion from an electric motor or other suitable source of power to the wringer, and also to'the washing machine, although no claim is made in this application to the \fvashing machine or actuating means there- 6 designates a frame secured to the rails 3 beneath the platform 1. Secured to this frame and preferably suspended therefrom is an electric motor said motor having a driving pulley 8. 9 is a shaft journaled' in suitable bearings and carries a pulley wheel 10, said wheel 10 being connected by a belt 11 with the pulley 8 of the motor. On the shaft 9 is a sprocket pinion 12, and said pinion is connected by a sprocket chain 13 with a sprocket wheel 14 carried'by a shaft 15. The shaft 15 is arranged for the transmission of power to the wringer from the motor 7 and may also be used for transmitting power from said motor to the washing machine. This latter operation may be accomplished through the pinion 16 on the inner end of the shaft 15 actuating a suitable connection, not shown.

The wringer comprises the frame 17 in which are journaled the wringer rolls 18 and 19, geared together in a suitable manner, not shown, whereby they always rotate in unison and toward each other. The roll 19 has a shaft extension 20.

21 designates a bracket to which the wringer frame 17 is secured and which supports the same, whereby the wringer may be swung to two or more different positions. The bracket has a mediate horizontal bearing portion 22 through which the end of the shaft 20 extends, and in which it is journaled, and also the spaced vertically alined bearings 23 and 24. The lower bearing 23 terminates in a depending sleeve 25 divided by an annular flange or plate 26, said flange or plate provided with a radial slot 27.

The bracket 21 is revolubly supported on a tubular standard 28, preferably located at one corner of the platform 1, as shown, having a base-plate 29 secured to said platform. The sleeve. 25 of the bracket 21 extends down into and has a bearing in said standard 28, and the flange or plate 26 of the bracket rests upon and has a bearing on an annular flange or plate 30, similar in construction to the flange or plate 26, and said flange or. plate 30 is provided with a plurality of radially arranged slots 31.

Pivoted at 32 to the bracket 21 is a lever 33. This lever has a hand gripping portion 34 and a locking end 35. Said locking end is adapted to enter the slot 27 in the flange or plate 26 and any one of the slots 31 in the plate or flange 30, when the bracket and wringer are swung, bringing the slot 27 of the plate or flange 26 coincident with .one or the other of said slots 31 in the flange or plate 30. To remove the locking end 35 of the lever from the slot 27 and also a slot 31 in the flange or plate 30, the attendant will swing the lever away from the wringer frame 17, whi'ch will release said locking end 35, causing it to bear against the .peripheral face of the flange or plate 30 on which it will ride until the slot 27 in the plate or flange 26 is brought coincident with a slot 31 in the flange or plate 30, when the locking end 35 will enter said slots to lock the wringer in such adjusted position. spring 36 yieldingly holds the locking end 35 of lever against the peripheral face of the flange or plate 30 when the wringer is being swung from one position to another and tends to force the locking end 35 into see Fig. 3.

Lenses 25 of the bracket and through the alined lxearings 23 and 24 of said bracket, in which the upper end of the shaft is journaled.

Loosely carried on the shaft 39 between the bearings 23 and 24, are bevel gear wheels 40 and 41, each having a elutch sleeve 42, and located on said shaft 39 between said gear wheels 40 and 41 and having a spline and groove connection with said shaft, whereby it may be moved longitudicoincident. The spring 36 nally of the shaft, is a clutch sleeve 43 hav- 1 ing clutch faces 44'to adapt the clutch sleeve 43 to be alternately brought into clutch engaging relation with said gear wheels 40 and 41. And 45 is a bevel gear wheel on the outer end of the shaft extension 20 of the wringer roll 19, and said gear wheel 45 is in constant meshing relation with said bevel gear wheels 40 and 41, as shown.

Thus it will be seen that when the shaft 39 is operated, it will rotate the clutch sleeve 43 and by moving said clutch sleeve into clutch relation with the bevel gear wheel 40, said gear wheel 40 will operate the bevel gear wheel 45 to rotate the wringer rolls in one direction, and when said clutch sleeve 43 is moved into clutch relation with the bevel gear wheel 41, said gear wheel 41 will operate the bevel gear wheel 45 to rotate the wringer rolls in an opposite direction.

To shift the clutch sleeve'43, I provide a yoke 46, see Fig. 4, which engages the sleeve 43, and said yoke is carried by a movable bar 47. Said bar at its upper end being suitably connected to the forward end of a lever 48, pivoted at 49 to an ear 50 of the bracket 21. The lever 48 extends alongside of the wringer frame 17 and its free end is associated in a suitable way with a suitable catch 51, whereby the lever may be held in adjusted positions, up or down, or in a position which will hold the clutch sleeve 43 neitrzfll between the bevel gear wheels 40 an A casing, forming a closure for the bevel gear wheels 40, 41 and 43, comprises sections 52 placed upon opposite sides of the bracket 21 and secured to ears 53 on said bracket, One of said sections 52 being slotted as at 54 to permit passage of an extension from the yoke 46, see Fig. 4, for an up and down movement therein when the yoke 46 is moved to clutch the sleeve 43 to either the bevel gear wheel 40 or the bevel gear wheel 41.

The shaft 39 is driven direct from the shaft 15. On the lower end of the shaft 39 see Fig. 1.

is carried a bevel gear wheel 55 which is in constant meshing relation with a bevel gear wheel 56 on the outer end of said shaft 15, The shafts 39 andl5 at their geared ends are preferably journaled in a bracket 57 having bearing portions 58 and 59, and said bracket is Constructed in a manner to form a suitable guard for said bevel gears 55 and 56.

In Fig. 2 the washing machine is shown in outline, in dotted lines, and the wringer is also shown in outline, in dotted lines, in a position adjacent the washing machine, and when insuch osition clothes taken from the machine may be passed directly through the wringer, and dropped into a rinse water tub positioned alongside the platform to receive such clothes, the rolls of the wringer having been first placed in operation by the attendant shifting the lever 48 to place the sleeve 43 in clutch engagement with the proper gear on the upright shaft 39. To transfer the clothes from the rinse water tub into a bluing water tub, basket or other receptacle and to wring the same during such transfer, the wringer is swung around to the right, looking at Fig. 2, to a position at right angles to that shown, placing the same alongside the rinse water tub and between it and the bluing water tub, basket or other receptacle, when the wringer may be again placed in operation and the clothes passed therethrough from one tub to the other, or'

into a basket or other receptacle.

With the arrangement shown, when clothes are being passed through the wringer to transfer such clothes from one tub into another, or into a basket or other receptacle, the washing machine may be again filled with clothes and the Washing operation going on during such wringing operation. The driving connectlons for the wrlnger are such that the wringer may be swung from one position to another while maintaining the driving connection to said wringer.

vWhile I have described the wringer as adapted to be moved to two different positions, I wish it understood that it may also be moved to a further position, or diametrically opposed to that position shown in'Fig. 2, whereby the machine will accommodate one Washing machine and three tubs, or two tubs and a basket or other receptacles.

What I claim is: 1. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a supporting frame,

' a tubular standard uprising from said frame and at its upper end provided with an annular plate or flange having a plurality of radial slots, a bracket revolubly mounted at the upper end of said standard and having a sleeve journaled in the upper end of the standard and also provided with an annular plate or flange resting on the annular plate or flange of the standard, said plate or flange of the bracket provided with a radial slot adapted tobe broughtcoincident with either of the slots in the plate or flange of the standard, means adapted to enter the slot in the plate or flange of the bracket, and either of said slots in the plate or flange of the standard for locking the bracket of the standard when swung to adjusted positions, a frame secured to said bracket, mechwith spaced bearing portions in axial aline- Y ment with the standard and with a transverse bearing portion, means for locking the bracket on the standard in a plurality of adjusted positions; a frame secured to said bracket, mechanism carried by said frame including a shaft. journaled in the transverse bearing portion of said bracket, an op erating shaft extending up through the standard and said spaced bearing portions of the bracket in axial alinement therewith, a pair of bevel gears loosely carried on the upper end of the operating shaft and a bevel gearon the shaft forming a part of the mechanism carried by said swinging frame and meshing with the gears on the operating shaft, a clutch sleeve feathered on the operating shaft and adapted to have a clutch engagement with either of the bevel gears carried thereon, whereby a reverse movement may be transmitted from the operating shaft to the mechanism on the 'frame, a lever for controlling said clutch sleeve, and means for operat ng said operating shaft.

' 3. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a supporting frame, a tubular standard uprising from said frame and at its upper end provided with; an annular plate or flange having a plurality of radial slots, a bracket revolubly mounted at the upper end of said standard and having a sleeve journaled in the upper end of ating shaft and said shaft extension, means 7 for controlling the clutch, and means for operating said operating shaft.

4:. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a supporting frame, a tubular standard uprising from said frame, a bracket revolubly mounted at the upper end of said standard and provided with spaced bearing portions in axial alinement with the standard and with the transverse bearing portion, yielding locking means on the bracket for locking the same in a plurality of positions, a frame secured to said bracket, mechanism carried by said frame including a shaft journaled in a transverse bearing portion on .said bracket, an operating shaft extendin up through the standard and said spaced caring portions of the bracket in axial alinement therewith, a pair of bevel gears loosely carried'on'the upper end of the operating shaft, a bevel gear on the shaft forming a part of the mechanism carried by said swinging frame and meshing withsaid bevel gears on the operating shaft, a clutch member feathered on the operating shaft and adapted to have a clutch engagement with either 'of said gears carried thereon, whereby a reverse movement may be transmitted from the operating shaft to the mechanism on the frame, a lever for controlling said clutch, a closure for said reverse gearing, and means for operating said operating shaft.

5. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a supporting frame, a tubular standard uprislng from said frame, a bracket revolubly mounted at the upper end of said standard and having a depending sleeve j ournaled in said standard, means for locking the bracket on the standard when swung to adjusted posit-ions, a frame secured to said bracket, mechanism carried by said frame including an extension shaft journaled in said bracket, an operattenses ing shaft extendin up through the depending sleeve in said bracket, a pair of spaced bevel gears loosely carried on the upper end of said operating shaft, a bevel gear on the outer end of the extension shaft meshing with said gears on the operating shaft, a clutch member slidably secured to the operatin shaft and adapted to be moved into clutc engagement with either of said bevel gears on said operating shaft, a yokeengaging the clutch member, a bar connected with said yoke, a lever pivotally connected with said bracket and connected with said bar, means for locking the lever in adjusted positions, and means for transmitting motion from a suitable source of power to said operating shaft.

6. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a supporting frame, a tubular standard uprising from said frame, a bracket revolubly mounted at the upper end of said standard, said bracket and standard. being provided with annular flanges the former resting upon the latter, one 0 said flanges being provided with a single radial slot and the other being provided with a plurality of radial slots, a frame secured to said bracket, and a lever having a locking part movable radially relatively to the axis of said standard and adapted to enter the slots of said flanges for locking the bracket in adjusted positions on said standar 7. In, a machine of the character described, in combination, a supporting frame, a tubular standard uprising from said frame, a bracket revolubly mounted at the upper end of said standard and having :1 depending sleeve forming a bearing in said standard, .a locking member pivotally connected with the bracket and revoluble therewith, the bracket and standard adapted to be engaged by the locking member for looking the bracket in adjusted positions on said standard, a frame secured to the bracket, operating means on said frame, an operating shaft extending up through the standard and bearings formed on the bracket, means for operating said operating means from said shaft, and means for actuating said shaft.

ALPHEUS W. ALTORFER. Witnesses:

J. M. ANDERSON, CHAS. W. LA PORTE. 

